Miss Dove, despite these assurances, was visibly agitated, nor could she well be otherwise, as a rather copious flow of blood pointed to a wound of some kind.
As soon as the Hall was reached, Lucy was sent for to go and look for Doctor Peters. She came forward, looking very frightened and saying that the cook, Saunders, had met with some injury, for Lucy had not yet seen who was in the carriage, and was going on to explain the cook’s mishap, when the aeronaut, her former master, entered. Seeing that some accident had happened, Lucy ran off at once, followed by the squire, to obtain the doctor’s assistance, whilst the captain, having got some water and a sponge, began to bathe the wound, and was doing his best to stop the bleeding when the doctor was heard to be coming with the squire.
Doctor Peters was astonished to see who was his second patient, and was inclined to break out into a tirade as to the two disasters which had been brought about by the balloon. He said the cook had been knocked down by two fellows, and now what was this affair?
The squire, though he had hardly patience to explain, said,—
“While my daughter was making a captive ascent, someone fired off a gun at this gentleman or at Edith, from the long plantation!”
The doctor, who had not examined the wound with much energy, suggested that it might have been accidental, most likely a stray shot from a poacher’s gun—judging by the partially scalping effects of it.
“Is it at all serious?” asked the squire, impatiently.
“I should say not, squire. The cranium has been struck over the phrenological organ of benevolence. Had it been an inch lower, it might have proved fatal.”
“Then,” said Miss Dove, “it is not dangerous?”
“No, it is of a superficial character, fortunately.”